History · Ottawa · Canada
8 historic sites to see in Ottawa
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Hayden Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Parliament Hill, Rideau Canal and the Ottawa Locks and Canadian Museum of History. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 11–15 hours across 6 areas; 5 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 5
- Time to see them all
- 11–15 hours
- Areas
- Downtown and Parliament Hill, Old Hull, Gatineau and LeBreton Flats
Historic sites in Ottawa
Landmark · Downtown and Parliament Hill
1.Parliament Hill
The Centre Block and its Peace Tower are closed for a renovation expected to last well into the 2030s, so the House of Commons sits in the restored West Block and the Senate in the former railway station nearby, both open for free guided tours. The lawn hosts the Changing of the Guard in summer.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours with a tour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Free
Waterfront · Downtown and Parliament Hill
2.Rideau Canal and the Ottawa Locks
Its downtown end is a flight of eight hand-operated locks between Parliament Hill and the Château Laurier. In summer, paths along both banks suit walking and cycling, and boat tours run from the locks.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- Free
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Museum · Old Hull, Gatineau
3.Canadian Museum of History
Its Grand Hall has a row of Pacific Northwest totem poles in front of a wall of windows facing Parliament, and the Canadian History Hall covers 15,000 years. The Canadian Children's Museum is in the same building.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Architecture
- Iconic
Landmark · Downtown and Parliament Hill
4.National War Memorial and Confederation Square
Ceremonial sentries guard the memorial in summer, and it is the focus of national Remembrance Day ceremonies on 11 November.
- Time needed
- 20–30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Iconic
Museum · LeBreton Flats
5.Canadian War Museum
In Memorial Hall, a single window is aligned so that sunlight falls on the headstone of Canada's Unknown Soldier at 11am every 11 November.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Rockcliffe
6.Canada Aviation and Space Museum
On the old Rockcliffe airfield east of downtown, a huge hangar displays one of the world's largest collections of civil and military aircraft, from bush planes to a Lancaster bomber and surviving pieces of the cancelled Avro Arrow jet.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Religious site · ByWard Market and Lowertown
7.Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
Ottawa's oldest surviving church, completed in the 19th century, has twin silver spires visible across Lowertown and a vaulted ceiling painted deep blue with gold stars above carved wooden galleries and stained glass.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- Free
- History
- Off the beaten path
Palace · New Edinburgh
8.Rideau Hall
Free guided tours of the state rooms run regularly, with art from the Crown Collection.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Architecture
- Outdoors
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown and Parliament Hill | Parliament Hill, Rideau Canal and the Ottawa Locks and National War Memorial and Confederation Square | 1.5–2 hours with a tour + 1–2 hours + 20–30 minutes |
| Old Hull, Gatineau | Canadian Museum of History | 3 hours |
| LeBreton Flats | Canadian War Museum | 2–3 hours |
| Rockcliffe | Canada Aviation and Space Museum | 2 hours |
| ByWard Market and Lowertown | Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica | 30 minutes |
| New Edinburgh | Rideau Hall | 1–1.5 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 5 free, 3 mid-priced. Book ahead for Parliament Hill. The longest visit is Canadian Museum of History; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Parliament Hill: Free tour tickets are limited; reserve online or collect them early in the day in summer.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Downtown and Parliament Hill): Parliament Hill → Rideau Canal and the Ottawa Locks → National War Memorial and Confederation Square, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Old Hull, Gatineau): Canadian Museum of History, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (LeBreton Flats and Rockcliffe): Canadian War Museum → Canada Aviation and Space Museum, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 4 (ByWard Market and Lowertown and New Edinburgh): Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica → Rideau Hall, at least 2 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- March: highs of 2°C (36°F), about 11 rainy days, quiet crowds. The thaw begins, with slushy streets and the start of sugar-shack season in the surrounding countryside.
- January: highs of -6°C (21°F), about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds. Very cold, with snow on the ground and wind chill well below −20°C on some days.
- April: highs of 11°C (52°F), about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds. Snow melts, Rideau Falls run high and the first warm days arrive; can still be cold and wet.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- ByWard Market and Lowertown — Market stalls, restaurants and the city's busiest bar streets beside Parliament
- Downtown and Parliament Hill — Government buildings, hotels and the Sparks Street pedestrian mall
- Old Hull, Gatineau — French-speaking Quebec bars and the Museum of History across the river
More of Ottawa
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Ottawa?
Parliament Hill. The Gothic Revival parliament buildings stand on a bluff above the Ottawa River.
+Which of these are free in Ottawa?
Parliament Hill, Rideau Canal and the Ottawa Locks, National War Memorial and Confederation Square, Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica and Rideau Hall.